Italy U21: Reggiani, Liberali and Lulli get first calls

Originally posted on Football Italia | By Susy Campanale | Last updated Sep 18, 2026 12:14 PM ET

Coach Silvio Baldini called 25 Italy players for the final Under-21 European Championship qualifiers against Armenia and Poland, including Mattia Liberali, Luca Reggiani and Emanuele Lulli.

The Azzurrini will be in Yerevan on October 1 for the meeting with Armenia, then have a crucial head-to-head with group leaders Poland on October 5 at the Stadio Adriatico in Pescara.

Italy Under-21 side with fresh faces

CESENA – OCTOBER 10: Silvio Baldini head coach of Italy U21 during the UEFA Under21 EURO Qualifier betweenItaly U21 v Sweden U21 and ad hoc Arena im Ernst-Abbe-Sportfeld on October 10, 2025 in Cesena. (Photo by Alessandro Sabattini/Getty Images)

These are the final two games in the qualifying campaign for the European Under-21 Championships of 2027, which are hosted by Albania and Serbia.

The top team in the group goes directly into the tournament, along with the runner-up that has the most points out of the nine groups.

Italy are currently in second, three points behind Poland thanks to their 2-1 defeat back in November 2025.

CREMONA – OCTOBER 14: Coach Silvio Baldini of Italy reacts during the UEFA Euro U21 Qualification match between Italy and Armenia at Stadio Giovanni Zini on October 14, 2025 in Cremona (Photo by Marco M. Mantovani/Getty Images)

Baldini has called up several new faces for these matches, above all Como midfielder Liberali and Roma winger Lulli.

There are also debut calls for Matteo Cichella and Reggiani, the Borussia Dortmund talent bumped up from the Under-19 side.

Curiously, Reggiani has already made his senior debut at the age of 18 in a 1-0 friendly win over Greece in June, where he got sent off after 13 minutes, but has never featured for the Under-21 team.

DORTMUND, GERMANY – MARCH 14: Luca Reggiani of Borussia Dortmund celebrates scoring his team’s second goal during the Bundesliga match between Borussia Dortmund and FC Augsburg at Signal Iduna Park on March 14, 2026 in Dortmund, Germany. (Photo by Fabio Deinert/Getty Images)

Italy Under-21 squad

Goalkeepers: Giovanni Daffara (Parma), Diego Mascardi (Torino), Lorenzo Palmisani (Frosinone);

Defenders: Davide Bartesaghi (Milan), Gabriele Calvani (Frosinone), Fabio Chiarodia (Borussia Monchengladbach), Pietro Comuzzo (Torino), Costantino Favasuli (Napoli), Niccolò Fortini (Torino), Emanuele Lulli (Roma), Brando Moruzzi (Avellino), Luca Reggiani (Borussia Dortmund);

DORTMUND, GERMANY – AUGUST 15: Samuele Inacio of Borussia Dortmund is challenged by Bryan Cristante (L) and Emanuele Lulli of AS Roma (R) during the pre-season friendly match between Borussia Dortmund and AS Roma at Signal Iduna Park on August 15, 2026 in Dortmund, Germany. (Photo by Christof Koepsel/Getty Images)

Midfielders: Tommaso Berti (Cremonese), Matteo Cichella (Frosinone), Giacomo Faticanti (Avellino), Mattia Liberali (Como), Luca Lipani ( Sassuolo), Cher Ndour (Fiorentina), Niccolò Pisilli (Roma);

Forwards: Francesco Camarda (Milan), Luigi Cherubini (Benevento), Alphadjo Cisse (Milan), Seydou Fini (Frosinone), Luca Koleosho (Paris FC), Antonio Raimondo (Frosinone).

This article first appeared on Football Italia and was syndicated with permission.

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